SAN DIEGO — Prized rookie Julio Rodriguez hit a monster two-run homer, Cal Raleigh drove in four runs and Chris Flexen pitched the Seattle Mariners past the San Diego Padres 8-2 on Monday.
The Mariners won their third straight and for the sixth time in seven games. The Padres gave their home fans little to cheer about on the holiday afternoon as they lost for the eighth time in 11 games.
Flexen (5-8) and three relievers combined to shut down the Padres, who have scored only 10 runs in their last five games. They needed a ninth-inning rally to beat the NL West rival Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 Sunday and avoid a four-game sweep.
San Diego didn't score Monday until Trent Grisham hit a two-run homer with one out in the ninth.
The Mariners and Padres share a spring training complex in Peoria, Arizona, and have been deemed natural rivals by MLB for scheduling purposes.
Rodriguez drove a 2-0 pitch from left-hander Sean Manaea (3-4) onto the balcony of the fourth floor of the Western Metal Supply Co. brick warehouse in the left-field corner at Petco Park with one out in the fourth to give the Mariners a 4-0 lead. It was his 15th homer this season and 12th in his last 40 games. Dylan Moore was aboard on a leadoff single.
Rodriguez became the first player in big league history with 15-plus home runs and 20-plus stolen bases in his first 81 games.
Manaea followed Rodriguez's homer by loading the bases and was replaced by Tayler Scott, who proceeded to retire five straight Mariners batters, including striking out the side in the fifth, before running into trouble in the sixth.
Rodriguez opened the sixth by reaching on third baseman Manny Machado's throwing error. J.P. Crawford singled and Carlos Santana walked for the third time to load the bases. Raleigh then doubled to the gap in right-center to clear the bases and make it 7-0.
Flexen didn't allow a baserunner until he walked Machado with one out in the fourth. He was pulled after walking Kim Ha-seong with two outs in the seventh to put runners on first and third. Erik Swanson came on and walked Trent Grisham to load the bases before getting Jurickson Profar to fly out.
Flexen held San Diego to four hits in 6 2/3 innings, struck out eight and walked three.
The Mariners jumped on Manaea for two runs on three hits and a walk in the first. Raleigh drove in the first run with a grounder and Abraham Toro hit an RBI double.
Manaea allowed four runs and eight hits in 3 1/3 innings. He walked four and struck out three.
SUSPENSIONS
Mariners OF Jesse Winker began serving a six-game suspension for his part in a brawl with the Angels on June 26. His original penalty was seven games. Crawford returned to the lineup after serving a four-game suspension.
UP NEXT
Mariners RHP Logan Gilbert (9-3, 2.26 ERA) and Padres RHP Mike Clevinger (2-0, 2.79) are scheduled to start Tuesday afternoon in the finale of the two-game series.
